The original WWE Championship: photos 9 ^; ]$ Q/ s% c/ p. s. ~+ a8 f" R. z# E
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Bruno Sammartino beat Buddy Rogers for this WWE Title on May 17, 1963, in Madison Square Garden.; I9 M5 K" _* A- }3 q' D8 D
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When an authentic WWE Championship was created, this title was returned to Rogers.9 ]4 G# W9 ~2 E( Y7 @& S
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6 L. l" r) F0 |3 D - l. h& o1 i- R 4 i( S( w/ U$ f, \$ z+ ^It was lost to time before the widow of former wrestler Johnny Barend found it in her attic in August 2012. % T2 Q. c. z8 K$ k 9 y! w" ?9 Y: o/ N* x1 X % n8 j1 `+ D( z& d ) ^: F9 ^$ l5 ?# j8 n9 j0 y # m6 _2 N' Z. w- m! x/ \ m9 r" c) d4 y4 M
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WWE acquired the title in 2013 and presented it to Bruno Sammartino before his WWE Hall of Fame induction.3 X3 l5 X: f! D